US Capitol attack: what president Joe Biden said about 2021 attacks and why Donald Trump cancelled speech

The US President spoke to the citizens during an address which marks one year since violent protesters stormed the Capitol building in Washington D.C
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US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have marked one year since the Capitol riots with a televised address to US citizens.

Mr Biden spoke frankly about the shocking scenes of protesters storming the Capitol Building in Washington D.C from 6 January 2021.

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The riots took place in the wake of the US election which saw Former President Donald Trump defeated by Mr Biden.

During the events, five people were killed, with at least 138 police officers injured and 15 hospitalised.

What did Joe Biden say in his address to the nation?

The US President took to the podium to remark one year after the riots, with Mr Biden blasting former President Trump for putting importance on “power over principle” and putting “his bruised ego” ahead of the democratic decision of the country.

Mr Biden said that Trump had “tried to prevent a peaceful transfer of power” following the results of the US election which saw the Democrats retake power from the Republicans, adding: “The truth is that no election…in American history has been more closely scrutinised or more carefully counted,” .

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Donald Trump has reiterated that the results of the election were false and skewed against him, urging supporters to “rise up” against the system which he claims led to his defeat.

Mr Biden said: “The former President has created and spread a web of lies about the 2020 election”, adding “he can’t accept that he lost” and branding his claims that the election was rigged as “un-American” and “wrong”.

He added: “He’s a defeated former president, defeated by a margin of over seven million of your votes in a free and fair election.”

“There’s simply zero proof the election results are inaccurate,”

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He finished by stating that Americans “must make sure that never happens again”.

President Biden also told US citizens that while the “violent mob” was storming the Capitol, what those watching the scene didn’t see was President Trump taking no action.

He said: “What we didn’t see was a former president who just rallied the mob to attack, sitting in a private dining room of the Oval Office in the White House, watching it on television.

“This was an armed insurrection….they weren’t looking to uphold a free and fair election. They were looking to overturn one.”

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President Biden also said that the Republican Party “no longer want to be the party of Lincoln, Eisenhower, Reagan and the Bushes.”

He finished by stating: “The pains and scars from that day run deep.

“We are in a battle for the soul of America”.

US Vice President Kamala Harris, who introduced Mr Biden before his speech, said 6 January would go down in US history alongside Pearl Harbour and 9/11.

What has Donald Trump’s reaction been to the speech?

Former President Trump has issued a furious statement in response to President Biden’s address.

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He claimed Mr Biden was the one “destroying our nation” with the speech he dubbed “political theatre”, adding that he had “used my name to try to further divide America

He said: “The complicit media just calls it the Big Lie, when in actuality the Big Lie was the election itself.

“The Democrats want to own this day of January 6th so they can stoke fears and divide America.

“I say, let them have it because America sees through their lies and polarisations.”

Why did Donald Trump cancel his speech?

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The former president was due to make a speech to mark one year since the storming of the Capitol from Mar-a-Largo, Florida.

However, this was cancelled in favour of a later event in Arizona on 15 January.

It comes after text messages were released showing Fox News host Sean Hannity speaking to former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows prior to 6 January and while the riots were ongoing.

Hannity told Meadows: “I do not see January 6 happening the way he is being told.”

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Later on 5 January 202, Hannity said he was “very worried” about events which could unfold over the next 48 hours.

The text messages are of note to investigators of the Capitol riots, who are keen to speak to Hannity about his knowledge on the situation.

As a result of the investigation, Mr Trump said in a statement: “In light of the total bias and dishonesty of the January 6th Unselect Committee of Democrats, two failed Republicans, and the Fake News Media, I am canceling the January 6th Press Conference at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday. [6 January]”

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